Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 supremacy comparison

Over the last few months we’ve been bringing you news about the next Apple mobile operating system, iOS 6, which we now know is due in the fall. Finally last week we also saw the unveiling of the next Android iteration, 4.1 Jelly Bean, due to release later this month. We thought it was time to look at Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6 in a supremacy comparison.

Since details of iOS 6 were revealed at Apple WWDC last month we’ve been bringing plenty of news about the improvements and additions coming and with Jelly Bean being announced at Google I/O last week it’s now possible to take a balanced look at one against the other and what they each have to offer. Just some of the new things coming to iOS 6 are Facebook integration, improvements to Siri, the Apple Maps app, Safari changes and changes to the FaceTime app. Meanwhile some of the improvements coming to Jelly Bean are Google Now, expanded notifications, Project Butter and resizable widgets. So which of these two significant operating systems will come out top?

A report on Wired takes a careful look at Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6 and comes up with some helpful pointers by splitting up the comparison into 6 categories. First off we’ll start with Jelly Bean’s Google Now Voice Search vs. Siri on iOS 6. Apple’s Siri voice recognition and search was one of the factors that made the iPhone 4S such a success, although it has been more successful in some regions than others. However the voice search used for Google Now (which hasn’t been given a name) was ushered in relatively quietly. Wired rates the Voice quality on Google Now as better than Siri’s but says that for trivia at least, then Siri has the edge as it uses Wolfram Alpha rather than Wikipedia which Google Now favors.

However Google Now offers more chance to expand upon the information once you receive it with quick access to Google search via an upward swipe. There are big improvements to Siri in iOS 6 though and it offers a more stylish service than that of Google Now as well as the ability to use Facebook and Twitter within Siri. Although Android does have Facebook and Twitter integration it doesn’t work within Google Now’s voice search. Another plus for iOS 6 is that apps can be opened with your voice, something lacking in Google Now’s Voice. These extras are what gives Siri the edge over Google Now at present.

Moving on to Maps and it was a big surprise to many to hear that Apple had bypassed Google on its new Maps app. So how does Apple Maps stand up against Google Maps? The verdict is that Google wins out here although there is praise for Apple’s first attempt at a mapping app. Apple earns points for its satellite 3D views but lacks Street View for navigation and location searching. It was also judged that Jelly Bean’s turn-by-turn navigation (pushed to another app) still knocks spots off the same function on Apple Maps and other plus points for Google Maps on Jelly Bean are the ability to create routes avoiding tolls and freeways, user- defined mapping layers (such as transit lines) and geo-location for friends using Latitude. Another major Google benefit is offline map viewing, not available on iOS 6. In the maps respect then, it’s definitely Google that wins out.

A look at notifications was next and the aspect here that puts Apple firmly in front was seen as the ability to push notifications to the lock screen, possible since iOS 5. Although Jelly Bean has an audible alert there are still several steps needed to get at the information and although the expanded notifications in Jelly Bean is a good step forward, Wired still felt that iOS 6 beats Jelly Bean in this category.

As far as social networking is concerned Google just wins out here because of deeper integration in Jelly Bean that allows any image from the Android Gallery to be shared via Google+, Facebook or Twitter as well as various apps including Foursquare and Dropbox. With iOS 6 though, users will still have to launch a third-party app to share from the Photos app, even though it also features Facebook and Twitter integration.

The penultimate category was Google Play vs. iTunes store and it was here that Jelly Bean and iOS came to a dead heat. Neither was seen as perfect with Apple apps being split into various locations thereby reducing discovery and Google Play lumping all Android apps to access from one cluttered main page.

Finally the last category in the comparison was Apple’s Safari vs. Google’s Chrome browser, Chrome having just been introduced as the default browser on Jelly Bean. Praise for Chrome came in the form of its unlimited tabs as well as its unified search and URL field. Safari lacks a unified typing field but does give the user the ability to post photos from the mobile browser and also offers a Reading List to ‘read it later.’ Both have positive and negative points then but Safari was placed just ahead because of its Reading List.

Overall then iOS came top in 3 categories of the Wired report, Jelly Bean in 2, with one category resulting in a tie so iOS takes the supreme spot, but only just. That being said we have to say that both platforms have a great deal to offer and there are so many other features and additions to also take into consideration. Which is genuinely best then is likely to vary depending on different users’ needs. We know from experience that many of you will staunchly defend the Android platform over Apple and vice versa but really as long as you are happy with the OS that you are using, then that is the best choice for you.

One other important thing to consider though is that Apple device users can easily upgrade to the next iOS when they release but Android device owners are at the mercy of carriers and manufacturers as to when, or if, they can get their updates. All things considered we can’t wait until both Jelly Bean and and iOS 6 come out to see the verdict of the general public on each, once they are being widely used.

What are your thoughts on Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6? Do you automatically favor one over another? Maybe one for you has a killer feature not offered by the other in which case you could let us know what that is? We’re always interested in the opinions of our readers so send your comments in.

Comments

24 thoughts on “Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 supremacy comparison”

Till now, iOS was the only game in town for musicians wanting a smaller, portable musical scratch pad, as Android audio latency was a terrible 100 – 500+ milliseconds. Supposedly this is now fixed as of Jelly Bean, and audio latency is down to a respectable 12 milliseconds, with further improvements coming.Â
Since many musicians can’t or wont go the route of a high-priced iPad (or don’t like it’s bulky size), this is great news. My guess is, now that Android has fixed the audio issues, professional musical app developers will come pouring in.

Not really the same thing. Yes, older equipment runs its life and just will not get the most current updates. That happens in all areas. The issue with Androids fragmentation is the overwhelming amount of newer phones running 3 different versions of Android with each phone maker integrating their own system into it. Developers nightmare. Think about this. If a developer has on OS with not 3rd party integration, similar screen sizes etc, they can focus on fine tuning that app to make it not only look really nice, but perform really well. This cannot happen right now on Android. It just is not worth the time and money to focus on an apps the could potentially have issues running on 3 different phones. You can say that there are nice looking apps on Android which there are, but no doubt that the far majority of smooth running and great looking apps are on iOS. This is just a fact.Â
Now lets talk about updates. I am and Android user (and an iPhone user) and can get just as frustrated as the next person that my new phone will not be pushed an update because the maker of my phone cannot figure out how to integrate with their own system. This has happened since the beginning and will continue to happen until Google puts its foot down. I am personally at a crossroads right now. I was going to go with the Iphone 6, but have been leaning back towards Android with JB on the way. I currently have the Rezound, which I really like, but it doesn’t even have Ice Cream Sandwhich yet let alone Jelly Bean. Do I go with the Galaxy s III and hope it gets pushed Jelly Bean or at least rooted so I can install a ROM and hope it run right? This sir is the frustration of fragmentation.

If you go with directly buying the phone from the manufacturer you get fast updates. Asus and now Motorola are very fast while Samsung and HTC are less so. However none of the device manufacturers are so slow as compared to the service provider. Hence if you compare the wifi tablet and user experience vs. updates from the service provider you will find the wifi tablet always gets updates quicker. Basically buy a stock device.

The diversity of hardware out there just drives innovation and competition. Apple’s vision is one where EVERYONE has the same device. Same phone outdated UI on the same phone, same computer with the glowing apple logo. Android offers choice and superiorÂ functionalityÂ at the same time.Â

Fragmentation is real whether you will admit to it or not. I have both and iPhone and Android and will probably stick with Android hoping Jelly Bean makes it to my phone. Developers have and will struggle due to the wide variety of operating systems and phones out there. To say this is not true only makes you look simplistic in your responses. What google has done with JB is a huge turning point for them and I hope they can get a grip on it. Meaning…don’t let the Samsungs, HTC’s etc of the world modify their OS so much that they continue this craziness.Â
I agree diversity is great, but having 20 operating systems running on 800 different styles of phone with each having the phone maker tweaking in their own system, is never good and a nightmare for developers that want to fine tune apps and make them run like so many of the iOS apps do. It also makes updating to the new and improved operating systems a true pain which is why there are so many delays, and in many case, it just never happens.

iOS is always late to the game and Apple likes to act like they were first to introduce some feature. The only thing the iPhone did was make it standard for everyone and their mother to sport a smartphone.

Without stating the obvious “Android would not be at any Jelly Bean stage had Steve Jobs never existed to create the iPhone”. I believe Google was a couple of years late to the game LOL. Let me take your items and go one step further to today with JB and iOS 6

1) I agree, but Apple will make changes on this new venture. Hopefully it will help get Google to be more accurate. Sorry…personal thing. I think they hired a drunken teen to set the flags for my local area. Google brings everyone to the opposite side of the town for most businesses.
2) Debatable. iOS no doubt borrowed from Android (and improved) with iOS 5. Jelly Bean definitely improves on the old Android notifications, but iOS 6 also has some nice changes. Customization of notifications in general on iOS 5 was far better than Android (prior to JB). Lock screen notifications is also a very nice option (pull down notification bar from lock screen is just not the same).

3) How so? This is not really arguable since the fragmentation of Android makes the UI different on 30 phones. More of the phone makers built in features. I will agree that customization is very favorable for Android if that is what you were getting at? I am, of course, assuming both phones are stock and not jailbroken or rooted.

4) Maybe. Personally I found widgets fun at first, but don’t use them near as much as I thought I would. The option is nice though.

5) Soft keyboard? Lost me. You talking about the ability to use 3rd party keyboards? If so, I agree 100% (being a thumb and swiftkey user). Usability of stock keyboards has always favored iPhone for me. I have never had a stock Android keyboard I liked.

6) If you are going to look at JB, then you must look at iOS 6 and most likely 4G

7) Not sure. I say both can be good and bad. For basic functionality I do like Androids a little bit better. Debatable though.

8) Siri does extremely well with this. So does Google. Draw

9) Yeah, pissed a lot of people off on the lack of this in iOS. That being said, they have many choices. I had Garmin and Tom Tom on my iPhone. Not an option for Google. So, you are stuck with one major player where iPhone users now have over 6 big time players to choose from.

10) yep

11) A little more with Google. iPhone does really well with what they allow though. Advantage Google at this time. Assuming malware or virus does not infect everything

12) Ok, but the fact is, Iphone had everything a couple of years before Android existed.Â

Competition is the best thing that can happen for all of us. I hope Google tightens the reins on their OS and is able to fine tune it and stop letting some phone makers mess it up by trying to integrate their on OS.

9.) All of the alternative navigation options mentioned are available for android as well. There’s also 3rd pary app store alternatives (ex amazon) available to download them from. There’s very few, if any, services that google has deemed proprietary and forced upon the usein android. Overall good response though. As a on/off iphone owner, I more or less agree with the rest

Own both phones and notification bar and the iOS lock screen notifications are not the same. I can glance at my lock screen on the 4S and get a quick review of the email, text etc that I got. I don’t have to pull down a notification to see if I even want to deal with the message. Not trying to take sides, but it is just not the same thing.

Â Are you serious? Android notifications VS iOS notifications? And iOS notifications win??? Just one example, when facebook notifies you… how do you know it really notified you on iOS after some times? None.. cause iOS notifications are hidden an obselete.

I got rid of my iphone 4s due to how disappointing the ios 6 was. Everything you can do on it you could do for years on Android. I just got the sgs3 and that is a nice phone. Apple changed the way mobile phones worked. Google just caught up and made it better in my eyes.

And that wired article was a bought out piece of trash! Seriously none of those guys even use Android phones, let alone own one. Wired never seems to let anything other than Apple win anyways. Also with how Android is now, fandroids are burning iSheep all over the place in debates! xD

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